August 30, 2007
By ADAM LONGO
6 News Anchor/Reporter
KNOXVILLE (WATE) -- TV viewers have seen a lot of Fred Thompson lately, as the star of "Law and Order" or as an undeclared presidential candidate.
But the mystery of if he'll run unraveled late Thursday afternoon when his political director officially announce his campaign for president on September 6.
Those who know Thompson well say he ups the ante in what is already a high stakes presidential poker match.
"It would be great for Tennessee to get him in the White House," said Rep. Jimmy Duncan (R-2nd District).
Rep. Duncan helped push the Fred Thompson for President movement several months back.
"He is a plain, down-to-earth, straight forward kind of man," Duncan said.
But can he go toe-to-toe with any of the contenders from both parities declared in this race right now?
"I think he can," says Lloyd Daugherty of the Tennessee Conservative Union. "And if he gets the nomination, he'll sew up the south for Republicans."
Daugherty admits at first he didn't get along with Thompson when Thompson was a candidate for the U.S. Senate.
"We sat down for two hours and went eyeball to eyeball, talking about issues and personal philosophies," Daugherty said, "and when we came out of there, I was an admirer of Fred Thompson."
Thompson reminds many people of another polarizing actor-turned-politician, Ronald Reagan.
So can Thompson become this generation's Ronald Reagan?
Daugherty would know. He served as an advisor to Reagan. "Ronald Reagan was a revolutionary. He was a rebel."
Daugherty says Fred Thompson is more of a stabilizing conservative.
Some political pundits say Thompson may be at a disadvantage with his late entry into the race.
"He hasn't appeared in any of the debates," 6 News political analyst George Korda points out. "He's not going on the fifth debate. He's going on Jay Leno. What he's done is make sure he is separated from the entire field in everything so far that he's done."
National polls show Thompson close to Republican front-runner Rudy Giuliani.
After Thompson makes his announcement, he plans to hit the road on a week long, five-state campaign swing.
He'll cap off that tour with a Tennessee homecoming on September 15 in his home town of Lawrenceburg.
